With consumers, investors, NGOs, regulators, and governments all pushing for sustainable practices, meeting this demand without compromising food safety is crucial. Forbes Fyfe, Agriculture Supply Chain Technical Account Manager at LRQA, explores the current landscape and considerations for balancing sustainability and safety.
Sustainability drives conversation across all industries, with consumer demand a key motivation. As a result, countless sustainability initiatives have been implemented globally and locally, such as Denmark’s climate-impact food labels and the UK’s Plastic Packaging Tax. These initiatives are likely to become even more commonplace as consumer expectations go beyond plastic reduction and expand to include wider environmental responsibility.
From responsible sourcing to carbon impact of transporting food, more consumers want brands to show wider-ranging green credentials. Further development of bring-your-own initiatives and packaging innovation is unlikely to stop anytime soon. However, as further sustainable advances are made to meet demand, certain food safety risks that have not been considered at a consumer level may emerge. Only when food safety lapses occur are consumers aware of this, meaning considerations must be made to preserve food safety and educate consumers.
Spot the difference
There is much to be gained by food safety and sustainability teams working more closely together, but the topics have very different requirements and cannot be managed under the same strategy. Cutting down on plastic and packaging, reducing food waste, and driving more responsible sourcing may achieve sustainability goals for instance, but there is a danger that food safety may be jeopardised as a result. Dairy is a prime example, where moving towards alternative packaging could have a detrimental impact on product safety.
Broadly speaking, food safety goals are the same across any organisation and operate within a well-defined, common framework. However, it is hard to imagine sustainability being managed with a similarly universal standard. The task is simply too nuanced and depends on the product, inputs, and processes of each business.
Key considerations
As sustainability has separate definitions across the various elements of the supply chain, it is critical to identify what matters most to a business. For primary production, it will be linked to minimising greenhouse gas emissions, while priorities for secondary processors will be packaging solutions and waste minimisation.
Ensuring the entire supply chain is engaged is equally important. This can be done by promoting supply chain transparency and implementing strategic thinking from the outset, establishing and aligning both sustainability and food safety priorities. New suppliers may well be more sustainable, but are they ethical? Are they safe?
The way that safety and sustainability are measured will never be identical, however, integration of the teams managing the two is achievable. Closer partnerships between those with similar responsibilities across these areas can help ensure the supply chain is prepared to meet expectations.
Aside from the supply chain, educating consumers on the importance of avoiding food safety compromises in the name of sustainability is also key. This involves raising awareness of issues associated with taint and leakage, for example, to foster acceptance around the need for balance.
Parting thoughts
Safeguarding product integrity and consumer safety needs to remain at the heart of any innovations, and suppliers’ focus must be on getting the balance right. This includes using plastic only when essential to preserving the product, managing potential food safety risks in-store for ‘self-serve’ options, and educating the consumer. In short, while making crucial steps to protect the planet, food safety must remain at the core.
For more information, please visit: www.lrqa.com
